Men's Basketball Falls to Montreat

ASHEVILLE, N.C.- The men's basketball team fell short in a comeback attempt on Saturday. The team fell to Montreat College 96-93 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) action. 

The road game began with Tennessee Wesleyan asserting themselves through efficient scoring from Amauri Young, who opened the game with a layup off an assist by Armando Cuardado. The Bulldogs' defense stepped up early, with Cuardado recording a key block that set the tone. The first half was marked by runs on both sides, but Tennessee Wesleyan leveraged teamwork, including Jay Reed's and Peyton West's strong drives to the basket, to finish the half with a slight edge, leading 46-44.

The second half saw Wesleyan execute effectively, with Stratton Lovvorn and Peyton West nailing three-pointers to extend the lead briefly. Ty Hurst was instrumental, delivering clutch jump shots in crucial moments to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance. Amauri Young and Jay Reed continued their stellar play in transition, adding high-percentage buckets.

In the closing moments, the Bulldogs showed their determination. Down by six with under a minute left, Young converted a timely layup and drained a critical three-pointer, cutting Montreat's lead to one possession. However, Montreat capitalized on late free throws to seal the game.

Hurst led the offense with 19 points while Young added 18 points.

TWU (7-11, 6-7 AAC) returns to action on Saturday when they host St. Andrews University. The conference game is set to begin at 2:00 p.m.